title: Serum calcium level is associated with metabolic syndrome in elderly women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between serum calcium level and metabolic syndrome, defined using the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) definition, in Korean elderly women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1941 elderly women (mean age: 65.16±4.58 years) who participated in annual health examinations at Korea university Medical Center between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2009 and had normal serum calcium levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with metabolic syndrome had higher serum calcium levels than those without metabolic syndrome (9.26±0.35 vs. 9.20±0.33, P<0.001). In multiple logistic regression analysis, serum calcium level within normal range was positively associated with the risk of having metabolic syndrome (odds ratio 2.12, 95% confidence interval 1.50-2.98). With regard to components of metabolic syndrome, serum calcium level was also positively associated with the risk of having high triglyceride, and high glucose, whereas it was inversely associated with the risk of having low high density lipoprotein. However, there was no association of serum calcium level with abdominal obesity or high blood pressure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher was the level of calcium within normal range, the greater were the odds of metabolic syndrome in healthy and elderly women. Prospective studies are needed to investigate the role of calcium in the development of metabolic syndrome in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Geum Joon
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jung-Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Kyong Wook
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Hyun Tae
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Tak
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jun-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.forename: Sun Haeng
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D016015:Logistic Models; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002118:Calcium